178 FORESTRY ALMANAC 



THE FORESTS OF ALASKA 



Covering the mainland and islands of the Alaskan coast along the 

 semicircular strip stretching from the southernmost point of the 

 territory to the eastern end of Kodiak Island are coniferous forests, 

 mainly of Sitka spruce and western hemlock, shot here and there with 

 red and yellow cedar and various other growths. Inland on the north- 

 ern plateau, reaching up to the tundra of the arctic circle, is a vast 

 forest area of lesser importance, here and there along the banks of 

 rivers found in thick growths of birch and spruce thinning out into 

 more sparsely covered stands. 



In the coastal stands are concentrated about one-fifth of the timber 

 stand of Alaska, while the inland territory embraces the remainder. 

 In quality, however, and commercial possibilities, the coast timber- 

 lands have the greatest importance. Practically all of this latter area 

 is included in the 20,571,549 acres of the Tongass and Chugach 

 National Forests, administered by the United States Forest Service 

 under a separate forest district with headquarters at Juneau. 



Since the upper reaches of Alaska are for the most part unexplored 

 from the point of view of forest resources, the forested area and 

 the timber stands can be set only by estimate. Consequently guesses 

 at the forest area run between seventy and one hundred and fifty 

 million acres, while the timber stand, inclusive of all types, ranges in 

 estimate from 100 to 140 billion board feet. The merchantable stand, 

 being along the coast, is easier to approximate and is estimated at 

 about 75,000,000,000 board feet. 



The forested areas of Alaska in the two National Forests are given 

 fire protection and administration under the Forest Service system. 

 The stands of the interior, however, are annually swept by fires, 

 burning for the most part without attempt to fight them. Fire and 

 waste are at present about balancing the annual growth of the 

 Alaskan forests. 



About fifty million board feet of saw timber are cut out of the 

 National Forests of Alaska a year, or practically all of the saw timber 

 output. The forests of the interior are valuable for firewood and 

 pulpwood and are almost entirely a part of the public domain admin- 

 istered by the General Land Office. Alaska exports some of its saw 



